The 2005 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL

ECHL

The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...

 began on April 12, 2005. 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. In the American Conference, the top eight teams qualified for the playoffs. In the National Conference, the top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

The Kelly Cup

Kelly Cup

The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...

 Final ended on June 1, 2005, with the Trenton Titans

Trenton Titans

The Trenton Titans are a professional minor league ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Titans play their home games at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, New Jersey. Established in 1999, the...

 defeating the Florida Everblades

Florida Everblades

The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998...

 four games to two to win the first Kelly Cup in team history. Trenton forward Leon Hayward was named the Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player.

American Conference

The top eight teams in the conference qualified for the 2005 Kelly Cup playoffs, with the division champions seeded 1 and 2 and the remaining six teams seeded 3 through 8 based on points. The Conference quarterfinals featured a best-of-5 series with the higher seeds (1, 2, 3 and 4) versus the lower seeds (8, 7, 6 and 5). The Conference semifinals featured a best-of-5 series as well as a reseeding with the highest remaining seeds hosting the lowest remaining seeds. The Conference finals featured a best-of-seven series with the winner crowned the American Conference champion and granted a berth in the Kelly Cup Finals.

National Conference

The top four teams in each of the North and West divisions qualified for the 2005 Kelly Cup playoffs. Each divisions' champion would be seeded first in the best-of-5 Division Semifinals hosting the fourth seed from their division, while the second seeds would play the third seeds. The winners of each Division semifinal would move on to the best-of-5 division finals. The winners of the two division finals play in a best-of-seven conference final. The winner of the conference final was crowned the National Conference champions and granted a berth in the Kelly Cup Finals

Kelly Cup Finals

The Kelly Cup Finals will be a best-of-seven series between the two conference champions.

Playoff Seeds

After the 2005-06 ECHL regular season

2005-06 ECHL season

The 2005–06 ECHL season is the 18th season of the East Coast Hockey League, ECHL, a professional ice-hockey league based in the United States. The season ran from late October, 2005 to early June, 2006...

, 19 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Alaska Aces were the National Conference regular season champions, as well the Henry Brabham Cup

Brabham Cup

The Henry Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually by the ECHL to the team which finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season...

 winners with the best regular season record. The Gwinnett Gladiators

Gwinnett Gladiators

The Gwinnett Gladiators are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Duluth, Georgia. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center....

 were the National Conference regular season champions.

American Conference

1. Pensacola Ice Pilots
   Pensacola Ice Pilots
   The Pensacola Ice Pilots were a minor league ice hockey team located in Pensacola, Florida. The team was previously affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders , and the Chicago Blackhawks. They have also had a working agreement with the Houston Aeros of the...
   
    - South Division and American Conference champions; Brabham Cup
   Brabham Cup
   The Henry Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually by the ECHL to the team which finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season...
   
    winners, 107 points
2. Columbia Inferno
   Columbia Inferno
   The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the...
   
    - East Division champions, 88 points
3. Florida Everblades
   Florida Everblades
   The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998...
   
    - 94 points
4. Gwinnett Gladiators
   Gwinnett Gladiators
   The Gwinnett Gladiators are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Duluth, Georgia. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center....
   
    - 88 points
5. Mississippi Sea Wolves
   Mississippi Sea Wolves
   The Mississippi Sea Wolves were a professional hockey team based in Biloxi, Mississippi and playing in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The Sea Wolves were members of the ECHL....
   
    - 87 points
6. South Carolina Stingrays
   South Carolina Stingrays
   The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in...
   
    - 87 points
7. Charlotte Checkers - 85 points
8. Greenville Grrrowl
   Greenville Grrrowl
   The Greenville Grrrowl were an ECHL hockey team located in Greenville, South Carolina. They played their home games at the BI-LO Center. In the 2001-02 season, they won the Kelly Cup....
   
    - 83 points

North Division

1. Reading Royals
   Reading Royals
   The Reading Royals are a professional ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Royals play their home games at the Sovereign Center located in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania...
   
    - 93 points
2. Trenton Titans
   Trenton Titans
   The Trenton Titans are a professional minor league ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Titans play their home games at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, New Jersey. Established in 1999, the...
   
    - 93 points
3. Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
   Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
   The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies were an ECHL hockey team in Atlantic City, New Jersey from 2001 to 2005. The team's venue was the historic Boardwalk Hall, which seats 6,979....
   
    - 92 points
4. Toledo Storm
   Toledo Storm
   The Toledo Storm was a minor league professional ice hockey team in the ECHL from 1991 to 2007. The Storm played their home games at the venerable Toledo Sports Arena along the southern banks of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. The team colors were red and white, similar to the Detroit Red Wings,...
   
    - 87 points

West Division

1. Alaska Aces - National Conference regular season champions - 98 points
2. Long Beach Ice Dogs - 95 points
3. Idaho Steelheads
   Idaho Steelheads
   The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho. The team began playing in 1997 and has been a member of the ECHL since 2003....
   
    - 91 points
4. Bakersfield Condors
   Bakersfield Condors
   The Bakersfield Condors are a minor league ice hockey team based in Bakersfield, California. The team plays in the Pacific Division of the ECHL's Western Conference. The Condors join the Houston Aeros as an affiliate of the Minnesota Wild in the National Hockey League...
   
    - 90 points

First round

Note 1: All times are local.

Note 2: Game times in italics signify games to be played only if necessary.

Note 3: Home team is listed first.

(1) Pensacola Ice Pilots vs. (8) Greenville Grrrowl

(2) Columbia Inferno vs. (7) Charlotte Checkers

(3) Florida Everblades vs. (6) South Carolina Stingrays

(4) Gwinnett Gladiators vs. (5) Mississippi Sea Wolves

(N. 1) Reading Royals vs. (N. 4) Toledo Storm

(N. 2) Trenton Titans vs. (N. 3) Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies

(W. 1) Alaska Aces vs. (W. 4) Bakersfield Condors

(W. 2) Long Beach Ice Dogs vs. (W. 3) Idaho Steelheads

(3) Florida Everblades vs. (8) Greenville Grrrowl

(4) Gwinnett Gladiators vs. (7) Charlotte Checkers

(N. 1) Reading Royals vs. (N. 2) Trenton Titans

(W. 1) Alaska Aces vs. (W. 2) Long Beach Ice Dogs

(3) Florida Everblades vs. (7) Charlotte Checkers

(W. 1) Alaska Aces vs. (N. 2) Trenton Titans

(A. 3) Florida Everblades vs. (N. 2) Trenton Titans

See also

• 2004-05 ECHL season
  2004-05 ECHL season
  The 2004-05 ECHL season was the 17th season of the ECHL. This season marked uncharted territory for the ECHL as they established their first Canadian franchise, the Victoria Salmon Kings....
  
  
• List of ECHL seasons